Housing Assignments

Determination

The university is the sole and final determiner of campus housing assignments and can change any campus housing assignment at any time, approve or deny requests for changes to assignments, add or remove roommates, and/or require moves to an alternate housing unit as necessary. Specific living areas and/or roommates may be requested but are not guaranteed.

Charges

Housing charges are applied to student accounts per semester for each student. Students are responsible for payment of all housing charges per the terms of the university’s financial policies.

Requests for Assignment

Students must be admitted to the university before requesting a housing assignment. New students (freshmen and sophomores) are encouraged to apply as early as possible after being admitted to the university, but requests for housing assignments will be accepted anytime. Students may request specific roommates before assignments are made (typically June 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester). Requests for specific roommates must be mutual and indicated in writing (email is acceptable) by all students involved to be considered. Students must request a campus housing assignment each new academic year. Continuing students generally obtain their housing assignments through the housing sign-ups process each spring. Details on the sign-ups process are released each spring and are subject to change from year to year. Continuing students who don’t participate in the sign-ups process may still submit requests any time after sign-ups close. A student wishing to enter campus housing for the spring semester may submit a request for housing assignment during the preceding fall semester. Students who participate in study abroad programs (South Africa, High Sierra, L.A. Term, etc.) are encouraged to live in campus housing when they return.

Notification

Incoming and continuing students who receive an assignment will be notified by the first part of July in anticipation of the fall semester. Students who request housing for the spring semester will be notified over Christmas vacation. Students who submit late requests are usually notified of their assignments within 7–10 days. Assignments and roommate information will not be shared over the phone. Student contact information will be released to future roommates. Failure to accept an assigned roommate or attempts to force or pressure a roommate out of the housing unit may result in loss of housing assignment and disciplinary action.

Oversubscription

“Oversubscription” is the term used when the occupancy of a one- or two-bedroom unit is three (“tripled”) or five (“quintupled”), respectively. Oversubscriptions are voluntary or involuntary as determined by the university based on the relationship between student enrollment and the number of campus housing units available. In seasons of voluntary oversubscriptions, students are provided affordability options and flexibility in roommate groups. Voluntary oversubscriptions receive discounted charges for the time actually spent in a triple or quintuple. Involuntary oversubscriptions are implemented to provide sufficient housing space. If an involuntary oversubscribed unit remains oversubscribed past the official check-in date, the students assigned to the unit will receive a discounted housing rate as long as they remain assigned to that unit. If a unit drops to standard occupancy before the official check-in date, the university may decide to keep the unit as a standard unit for the year and those assigned to the unit will receive the standard rate. The university is the sole determiner of housing assignments, unit occupancy, and changes to assignments.

Special Accommodation

Students requesting special campus housing accommodations due to a disability should contact the APU Learning Enrichment Center (LEC). New students are encouraged to contact the LEC early to avoid delays in receiving a housing assignment. Returning students are encouraged to contact the LEC early in the spring semester to be able to participate in the housing sign-ups process and obtain an appropriate assignment for the following year.

Check In and Check Out

Students assigned to campus housing will be sent an assignment notification with specific instructions on checking in. Check-in for fall and spring typically takes place the weekend before the start of classes. Students who sign up for summer housing will typically move into their summer housing units after spring commencement. Students coming to campus early for athletics, music, drama, or other required on-campus activities should contact their group leader for more information. After check-in, a Room Condition Assesment (RCA) should be completed by the student within seven days to identify any pre-existing damage to the assigned housing unit. Each student may submit their assesment online through home.apu.edu. There are two ways to check out of a housing assignment: verified checkouts where a Resident Advisor (RA) inspects with the student present, and unverified checkouts where the RA inspects after the student leaves. Students who choose the unverified method waive the ability to appeal charges. Students are personally responsible for turning in keys issued to them. Keys are to be returned to the Office of Housing Services in Engstrom Hall. Students are responsible for leaving the unit and/or personal space clean and shutting down utilities where applicable.